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Jason Derulo is NOT Dead

Outline
Circulating social media messages claim that entertainer Jason Derulo has died in a car accident.

Brief Analysis
The message is a hoax. Jason Derulo is alive. This message is just one more in a long line of similar hoaxes that falsely claim that a celebrity or well-known person has died. Before passing on any message that claims that a famous person has died, it is always wise to check the claim via a reliable news source. Also be ware that links in some such death hoaxes lead to malware or survey scam websites.

(Local Team News 9) Jason Derulo died in a single vehicle crash on Route 80 between Morristown and Roswell. He was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics responding to the vehicle accident and was identified by photo ID found on his body. Alcohol and drugs do not appear to have been a factor in this accident - December 24, 2012

Highway Safety Investigators have told reporters that Jason Derulo lost control while driving a friend's vehicle on Interstate 80 and rolled the vehicle several times killing him instantly. The vehicle was believed to have been traveling at approximately 95 miles per hour in a 55mph zone at the time of the accident. Witnesses have stated that Jason Derulo's car crossed the double lines several times prior to the accident and hit the center lane divider causing the vehicle to flip and roll. Toxicology tests will be performed to determine whether he was driving under the influence, however initial findings indicate that durgs or alcohol did not contribute in any way to this accident as it was more likely to been caused by road conditions. Memorial services for Jason Derulo have not yet been announced. The service is expected to be a closed casket funeral due to the severe head trauma. Additional details and information will be forthcoming as they become available.

Detailed Analysis
According to messages that are circulating rapidly via Facebook, Twitter and email, popular
US entertainer Jason Derulo has died in a car accident. The reports claims that Derulo was killed instantly in a single vehicle accident.

Many of these false death rumours originate from several tasteless "prank" websites that allow users to create fake news stories detailing the supposed death of various celebrities. Users can generally pick from several "news" templates, add the name of their chosen celebrity and then attempt to fool their friends by sharing the bogus story. One such template is the "car accident" story used in this hoax. Other versions falsely claim that the targeted celebrity has died in a snow boarding accident or fell to his or her death from a cliff while filming in New Zealand.

Before passing on any message that claims that a famous - or infamous - person has died, it is always wise to check the story via reputable news source. If a well-known person does die, the news is sure to be widely reported by the main-stream media, so a quick search of a news source such as Google News should quickly reveal if the claims in a message are true or false.